Ever lost your taste for whisky?

Yes, I have had this happen to me. I was sick back in the Fall with a nasty cold which developed into vertigo. It lasted almost 3 months! Upon recovery, I, like yourself eagerly awaited a dram of whisky. I tasted a couple, and they tasted horrible to me! Red wine was the same......but beer was quite satisfying to my palate. I think it could be a combination of your taste buds being off, as well as, the physical and mental anguish you experience with a long illness. Your body is recovering.......just give it time, you will be imbibing soon enough! I was sick between September and early December. I started, and haven't stopped drinking scotch since Christmas. My taste buds are in full swing and fully in tuned to all the nuances and flavours.

Absolutely. There was an epidemic of walking pneumonia in NW Indiana last fall, and everyone in my family came down with it. Couldn't drink any booze at all for at least a month. Even when my taste buds returned to normal, I couldn't handle more than a small dram now and then without my head feeling like it was going to explode.

So I was on the wagon from about Thanksgiving through Christmas, then had only a few celebratory sips for a few weeks thereafter. (It was a very sober New Year's.) A week into January, and all was back to normal.

Be patient. Hang in there. You'll get it back.

Oh yeah! I was on the verge of dumping some world-class juice...there was nothing wrong with the whisky, It was me - taste and smell got up and went for a long walk and didn't return for a few weeks. During that time, the one whisky which brought me some sensibility was Booker's - it was like a splash of heaven sent vanilla....there's only so much vanilla one guy can take. Hang in there!

Good to know! Thanks for the encouragement!

Let me say hang in there as well. I myself am currently rather sick — I think it's a throat infection of some kind, since I couldn't talk for 2 days — and my taste buds are definitely not at their best right now. I yearn to appreciate a good dram, but I'd be amazed if I could inside of a week.

Even when I get back to the ol' cabinet, I'm going to start with something relatively cheap and easily replaced. Just seems like good sense.

Either way, glad to hear the worst is behind you. Hope you make a full recovery soon!

I recently lost my taste. Continuing the theme here, it followed a bad viral infection where I was in no condition to drink anything for about a month. It took awhile to get the desire back to want a dram and I find my taste buds a bit off still to this day.

@JeffC Yeah I know what you mean. It almost feels like I lost my years of whisky drinking experience, and I have to start all over! I don't know if I have the patience for that! I don't even desire a dram right now. We'll see how it goes in time.

Infections seem to be pretty common as a cause here. I had one and was on antibiotics for a while. Even during the brief respite between courses, I had an exceptionally difficult time enjoying spirits. I became much more sensitive to wood, less able to distinguish sweet aromas, and everything tasted bitter and over-oaked. It took a long time to regain my palate and sensitivity.

Of course, non-illness aside, there are times when I just need to step away from drams altogether because I don't fully enjoy things, either from fatigue or something else.

Infections seem to be the main cause of loss of a Whisky appetite but in my case, I seem to be loosing my sense of smell: Nothing dramatic but as the years roll by slowly but surely it's becoming less intense and is disappointing in the extreme. Advancing years really suck but, are, of course, infinitely better than the alternative!

Had a chat with my Doc. who assures me this is normal and to be expected after 60 years - That was many moons ago, so I guess I'm doing OK! Now, if only my nose holds up 'til I can broach a Highland Park 25yo. (the one that scored 100pts. in the recent New York Challenge), I'll be a happy little Vegemite.

Slainte!

@A'bunadhman:

www.highlandpark.co.uk

I never thought I'd be lucky enough to see the day.

Best to listen to your body on these things. If whisky tastes terrible, there is probably a reason for that. I suggest a vitamin supplement with fermented organics to help them absorb better. New Chapter men's 40+ is what I take. It's quite good. Natural Vitality magnesium supplements are also quite good to take with the supplement. Drinking plenty of water is lastly perhaps the most important. filtered water without "fluoride" and chlorine. Avoid plastic bottled waters. they have toxins from the plastic (petroleum) in them which can retard one's progress towards whisky-friendly health levels.

No.

@A'bunadhman : This one.

ultimate-beverage.com/the-results/…